23 Questions
Which organization became the most powerful in the Soviet Union during Lenin's time?
The Communist Party
Who invaded the Soviet Union in 1941?
Germany
When did the war in Europe end with an Allied victory?
May 1945
Who became the Chair of Sovnarkom in 1941?
Stalin
Why did the relationship between party and state change during the Second World War?
The need for an efficient government during wartime
Which organization did Stalin purge in the 1930s?
The senior levels of the state, the Party, and the military
Who were the two main rivals for Stalin's position?
Beria and Zhdanov
What technique did Stalin use to test the loyalty of his closest allies?
Imprisoning or sacking their wives and daughters
Who did Stalin demand be expelled from the Party, resulting in his wife's arrest and imprisonment?
Molotov
What did Winston Churchill say about Vyacheslav Molotov?
He represented the modern conception of a robot
Under Lenin, political terror was not used against who?
Communist Party members
What did Stalin establish during the 1920s?
A single ideological orthodoxy
What happened to the authority of Lenin's closest allies during the 1920s?
It was destroyed
What did Stalin foster in government during his last years?
Competition
As the power of the state grew, Ministers joined the Politburo, and members of the Politburo were given important ministerial jobs.
As the power of the state grew, Ministers joined the Politburo, and members of the Politburo were given important ministerial jobs.
What was the GKO responsible for during WWII?
The GKO was responsible for economic co-ordination and military production and defence during the war.
What changes did Stalin made to the naming of government officials?
Under Lenin senior government officials were known as Commissars. However, Stalin changed this to Ministers.
Stalin used the party–state relationship to his advantage by.........
Stalin used the party–state relationship to his advantage by encouraging competition between the two organisations.
The Soviet Constitution of 1936 set out the structure of the Soviet Government and the rights of citizens. Western socialists who studied the constitution described it as......
As the most democratic in the world
During the Great Terror, thousands of effective administrators were purged. During the war, Stalin allowed state and Party officials to continue working in order to ensure that government could run more smoothly. Why did Stalin make this decision?
He believed that administrators were essential for the war effort
How did Stalin change the composition of the Politburo during the war?
He appointed state Ministers to the Politburo
Why were the constitutional bodies largely irrelevant between 1936 and 1988?
The Communist Party held power instead
How did Stalin maintain his power in the government after the war?
By purging hundreds of Party and state officials
Study Notes
Rise of the Communist Party
- The Communist Party became the most powerful organization in the Soviet Union during Lenin's time.
World War II
- Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.
- The war in Europe ended with an Allied victory in 1945.
- Stalin became the Chair of Sovnarkom in 1941.
- The relationship between the party and state changed during the Second World War, with the state gaining more power.
- The GKO (State Defense Committee) was responsible for overseeing the Soviet war effort during WWII.
Stalin's Purges
- Stalin purged the Communist Party in the 1930s.
- The two main rivals for Stalin's position were Trotsky and Bukharin.
- Stalin used the technique of "self-criticism" to test the loyalty of his closest allies.
- Stalin demanded that Yezhov be expelled from the Party, resulting in his wife's arrest and imprisonment.
- Winston Churchill described Vyacheslav Molotov as "a mighty architect of misfortune".
Government and Politics
- Under Lenin, political terror was not used against the working class.
- Stalin established the OGPU (Unified State Political Administration) during the 1920s.
- The authority of Lenin's closest allies declined during the 1920s.
- Stalin fostered a cult of personality in government during his last years.
- As the power of the state grew, Ministers joined the Politburo, and members of the Politburo were given important ministerial jobs.
- Stalin changed the naming of government officials, replacing "People's Commissars" with "Ministers".
- Stalin used the party-state relationship to his advantage by appointing loyal officials to key positions.
Constitution and Governance
- The Soviet Constitution of 1936 set out the structure of the Soviet Government and the rights of citizens.
- Western socialists described the constitution as "a sham".
- The Great Terror led to the purging of thousands of effective administrators.
- Stalin allowed state and Party officials to continue working during the war to ensure that government could run smoothly.
- Stalin made this decision to maintain stability and efficiency in government.
- Stalin changed the composition of the Politburo during the war, appointing more loyal officials.
- The constitutional bodies were largely irrelevant between 1936 and 1988 due to Stalin's strong control over government.
- Stalin maintained his power in the government after the war by appointing loyal officials and fostering a cult of personality.
Test your knowledge on the complex relationship between the Communist Party and the Soviet state under Stalin's rule. Explore how Lenin's legacy shaped this dynamic and the extent of the Communist Party's influence.
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